When it comes to creating the perfect Christmas pudding some things remain undisputed. But this week, a surprising new formula has come to light casting a shadow over the tried and tested methods of achieving the tastiest pudding

The 'self-replicating rapid prototyper', or RepRap for short, is a machine that literally prints 3D objects from a digital design. Its creators hope that in the future it will be a must-have mod con for every home.